Ecological Relationships
This is the type of relationship where both organisms benefit.
What is mutualism?
This term refers to the variety of life in an ecosystem.
What is biodiversity?
This process allows plants to take in carbon dioxide and make food.
What is photosynthesis?
This occurs when natural environments are destroyed for human use.
What is habitat destruction?
This relationship involves one organism benefiting while the other is unaffected.
What is commensalism?
This species has a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem relative to other organisms. (If this organism dies out, the ecosystem is greatly affected)
What is a keystone species?
This process releases carbon dioxide when organisms break down food.
What is cellular respiration?
This is the introduction of harmful substances into the environment.
What is pollution?
This type of relationship is shown when a tick feeds on a dog.
What is parasitism?
This type of succession begins on bare rock with no soil.
What is primary succession?
This process converts nitrogen gas into a usable form for plants.
What is nitrogen fixation?
This human activity removes trees and reduces species diversity.
What is deforestation?
This occurs when two species fight over the same limited resource.
What is competition?
This type of species causes harm when introduced to a new ecosystem.
What is an invasive species?
These organisms break down dead matter and return nitrogen to the soil.
What are decomposers?
This long-term change in Earth’s temperature affects ecosystems worldwide.
What is climate change?
This interaction helps regulate population sizes by one organism feeding on another.
What is predation?
These events, like hurricanes or wildfires, can both damage and improve ecosystems over time.
What are natural disasters?
This type of human activity, such as burning fossil fuels, increases carbon in the atmosphere.
What is fossil fuel combustion (or burning fossil fuels)?
These are actions humans can take, such as conservation or reducing pollution, to protect biodiversity.
What are sustainable practices?